Dragons are creatures wreathed in mystery. Though they appear a handful of times in the long history of the continent, it is unclear how Dragons are born and what causes their vicious attacks upon mankind. The small amount of knowledge gleaned from these sporadic attacks reveals little more than the facts that Dragons possess dreadful power and are intelligent enough to understand human speech.

Dragons appear without warning, sometimes by the dozen, others hundreds of years apart. However, each brings chaos and destruction to humankind and civilization alike without distinction or discretion.

Their actions are considered inhuman atrocities and given their high levels of intelligence, it is difficult to imagine their violence is without purpose or intent. Many times in the past, Dragons have brought the world to the edge of destruction, yet they have never completely eradicated humankind.

In every age that they appear, dragons commit a short-lived but ferocious assault upon the world, then suddenly cease their attacks and fly atop a mountain or other visible location, as if awaiting something. Given these strange actions, it is possible to think that the dragons are fulfilling some sort of role or duty, serving some greater function within the world, yet at present there is simply not enough evidence to formulate any sort of theory about the dragons’ purpose.

It is also certain from past records that the number of monsters in the world seem to sharply increase around the time that dragons appear. This could be nothing more than mere coincidence, but if it is somehow an effect of a dragon’s imminent appearance, then this would be another example of dragons’ peculiar place in the natural order of the world.

Grigori remains motionless for a short period, and then unleashes a sigil that causes rapid beams of light to seek out and damage any present in a large area of effect.

Long Range Fireball

Mag

When perched upon the rock, Grigori will shoot long-range fireballs at you and your pawns.

Flame Eruption

Mag

Rears on two legs to charge energy, then unleashes a large stream of fire in front of him that sends out many smaller fireballs that drop in an area around the initial impact site. Possibly his most powerful attack.

Fiery Drive By

Mag

Flies into the sky and then dives past a target, breathing fire at the ground near them as he passes. Does multiple passes before landing again.

Wing Buffet

Spec

Flaps his wings hard at the party, knocking back everyone with high force winds but dealing no damage. Uses it to give himself more room for other attacks.

Fly Back

Phys

Will fly backwards for space but will deal massive damage if caught under him.

Maul

Phys

Sweeps the ground with his head and ensnares a target in his mouth, dealing minor damage but leaving the ensnared target susceptible to his physical and firebreathing attacks. The ensnared target may be freed if allies strike the mouth, or by wiggling the L-stick.

Note: Grigori's moves are almost identical to that of the Ur-Dragon; however, Grigori's attacks are based on Fire rather than Dark, and do not inflict as much damage as the Ur-Dragon.

Bestiary

In addition to witnessing these techniques, it is necessary for Pawns to participate in killing Grigori a total of THREE times either with their own Arisen or while travelling with others.

Tactics (Offensive)

The Dragon (Grigori) can be slain with a single Maker's Finger arrow before the battle has even begun. After entering the door past the Gorechimera, a cutscene will ensue and the player will be prompted to "Answer the Dragon's Query". Fire the Maker's Finger at the heart while The Dragon is stationary, awaiting the Arisen's decision. Refer to the Speedrun Mode video (at time mark 37:15) to see this demonstrated. Note that by exercising this strategy the Arisen will forfeit all item drops and rewards for this quest, and pawns will not gain Bestiary knowledge of The Dragon.

Even without a Maker's Finger arrow, advanced players may successfully slay The Dragon prior to its escape across the bridges. After the player is prompted onscreen to "Respond to the Dragon's Onslaught", the player will be forced to run away while The Dragon gives chase. When the player is prompted onscreen to "Fight Back", activate four Tagilus's Miracles (or four Conqueror's Periapts) and inflict as much damage as possible to the Dragon's protruding head. When its health is at 1 HP, strike or shoot the heart to slay it. Success here will preclude the need for the party to run across the bridges, fire the ballista, climb up the Dragon's back inflight, and battle in the arena.

Grigori's heart is the primary weak spot, which must be exposed and struck in order to inflict significant damage.

Grigori cannot be defeated until a final blow is landed on Grigori's heart by the Arisen.

The ideal climbing position to attack the heart is at the bottom-left, where The Dragon cannot grab the Arisen. Sparkly yellow-orange blood spews forth when damage is being inflicted. The Dragon will stay grounded once sufficient damage is dealt.

Fighters : Use four Tagilus's Miracles and a Liquid Vim, then spam Dragon's Maw at The Dragon's protruding head during the initial engagement with The Dragon (when prompted to "Fight back"). When the Dragon steps forward into the chamber (standing over the Arisen's head), execute a Heavenward Lash or jump up and execute a heavy downward slash to the heart when its HP is at 1 in order to slay it before it can fly away (precluding the need to run across the bridges and enter the arena).

During The Dragon's fiery dive attack, it is possible (with impeccable timing) to grab onto him as he nears the ground. If successful, the Dragon will hover high in mid-air and remain aloft. Climbing up and striking the heart will cause him to crash to the ground. The Arisen will not take fall damage from the resulting impact.

Tactics (Defensive)

The Dragon's ultimate attack is his fireball barrage. Grigori sits up on his rear legs and after a fairly long charge time, releases a fireball that can one-hit-kill the Arisen. After the fireball hits the ground, it explodes and breaks up into three weaker fireballs. The warning sign for this attack is both that he rears back on his hind legs and his mouth will begin to glow white while charging.

If The Dragon flies away beyond the player's attack range, mount the Ballistae located around the battlefield to ground it, aiming for the heart. Beware that The Dragon will assault the Arisen while mounted on the turret, destroying the Ballistae.

Be careful when clinging to the Dragon when he flies up; the Arisen can fall to his or her death, even with a full stamina bar.

Story

The Dragon appears, creates an Arisen , then takes refuge in the Tainted Mountain, waiting for the current Arisen to challenge him. You encounter him in the aptly named quest, "The Final Battle. " Upon completing "Deny Salvation," the previous story quest, your beloved will disappear from the world, as he or she has been captured by the Dragon.

Upon reaching The Dragon, the Arisen is given a choice. The first is to sacrifice your beloved - upon doing so the Dragon will agree to leave Gransys for a time but eventually return some years later, and grant you immortality and the Dukedom of Gransys for as long as the Dragon remains alive. It is then revealed that Duke Edmun Dragonsbane took this bargain and lied about slaying the Dragon - those that lost their hearts to the Dragon remain immortal until the Dragon is slain. You know that Edmun Dragonsbane is immortal, because Iola, in Cassardis, has said that he is the same age she is, and she is in her eighties.

Your second choice is to fight the Dragon. Your beloved is given the chance to escape as the room is destroyed, and you and your pawns escape its wrath to a more favorable location to fight. Eventually the Arisen scales the Dragon to reach where the Dragon keeps your heart, youstab it, causing you and the Dragon to tumble to the ground... and the battle is continued until the end.

Once Grigori is slain, all remaining Arisen have their hearts returned to them and they become mortal once again - the Dragonforged turns to dust immediately, having escaped death for many years, whilst Duke Edmun becomes a frail old man.

Unfortunately, the Dragon's death does not mean the salvation of Gransys. The Everfall located beneath Gran Soren opens in its entirety, destroying most of the city and unleashing more ferocious monsters upon the world as well as The Long Night, an eternally darkened sky. It's clear at this point that the death of the Dragon does not mean the end of the Arisen's challenging journey.

Notes

During Newly Arisen, if the player attempts to leave the Chief's room without choosing a vocation, Grigori will stop them, warn them against doing so, and will beckon the player if they stand around. He relents after stopping the Arisen three times, though they still must choose a vocation to gain any abilities. The default vocation is Fighter if the Arisen refuses to choose.

If the Arisen fails to defeat the Seneschal, the Arisen will transform into The Dragon; thus continuing the cycle. This results in a temporary "Game Over" for the player.

Dragons in culture

Grigori is the name given to the angels referred to as "the watchers" in the Books of Enoch in Biblical mythology. The Dragon's winged appearance, its resistance to Holy magick, and the image displayed in the loading screen (revealed in full during the credits) give it a strong angelic motif within the mythology of Dragon's Dogma.

European Dragons have always been depicted as the ultimate evil, but have nevertheless always been used to transcribe challenges or hardships. One example of this is the classic tale of a knight saving a princess from a dragon - this theme is referenced somewhat in rescuing the Arisen's beloved from the Dragon.

Speculation

Grigori's speech: "Yes... I remember now. This sensation, this pain... I know it well. The hurt you visit upon me is the self same pain I once inflicted. This battle is mine, just as it is yours. It is aught I began long ago." likely refers to that Grigori himself was once an Arisen who had been defeated by the Seneschal, and had been in turn transformed into a dragon. This implies that becoming a dragon had made him forget his won past, until the moment of his demise, making him a proud warrior who's will was broken a taken by a superior force, rather than a mad abomination and that architect to the Arisen's misery, but as much a victim - more so, even- than any of the other Arisen.

Refer to the Arisen page for more possible speculation on the Arisen Timeline, and on characters that may have faced Grigori.

The Elysion refers to the Dragon as "Grigori", a name which the Dragon also speaks during the Latin incantations used to steal the player's heart. It is therefore assumed that Grigori is the dragon's real name.

Some of the NPCs refer to "Wyrmspeak" as the dragons' language, which is Latin. Grigori speaks it during the first encounter with the Arisen, then later speaks in English. It could be interpreted as an ancient language in the Dragon's Dogma universe, known instinctively by Dragons; the unique Drake and Wyvern (as well as generic dragonkin) speak in Latin, whilst the special Wyrm in the Watergod's Altar speaks to the Arisen mostly in English, referring to the player as a "fellow countryman". It is also possible that only the Arisen may understand the Dragons and that they continue to speak Latin, as hinted to by Mercedes if she is the Arisen's Beloved.

"What is your purpose here, Arisen? If you sought to live you had naught but run and hide yourself away. But then, tell me, child of man... what does it mean to live in truth? To wage war against the passing days? To pray to the unseen for a few breaths more? To raise grand cities from stone, and spawn new life in turn? Mankind has done this, yes, and more. But is the tapestry you weave truly of your own design?"

"Their kind is easy to fathom, they go on living from simple fear of death. But not mankind. Some welcome the end with arms outstretched, while others come to face death incarnate, arms in hand. I ask again, what is your purpose here Arisen?"

"One path to your survival, lies in my defeat. Still my heart, and you stay the coming end. Another path before you... is to offer up that which you hold most dear. Abandon all delusions of control."

"For the price of a single life, I shall leave this land in peace. As my "vanquisher", the duchy would bow to you. Wealth and power are sweet anodyne for heartache. You'll not gainsay my terms are more than generous. If it matters aught, the man who rules this land now won that honor through just such a bargain."

"The decision is yours, Arisen. Now... choose!"

Making the choice

"Though I called you here to me, It was ever your own feet, your own will that brought you."

"And now again, the choice is yours, Arisen."

"Offer up the life of your beloved, here and now, and you shall live as sovereign of this land. Your heart will remain ever in my safekeeping, and with it your mortality."

"Take up your tiny barbs of steel and fight. And I shall respond with all of my being."

"Or, if you would stand against me now, as at the outset of your journey, I shall allow it."

"Then you will renounce your bond with this human and make an offering of their death? I shall not judge you, Arisen, for weakness is your nature as a child of man."

"I ask this final time. Will you turn and leave this place?"

"Doubt still holds you... hmmm. Very well. We have time, you and I."

"You would face me, then? Tis a fool's choice, Arisen. But better fool than craven. I knew your mind ere you came... Still, I ask this final time. Arisen, will you stand and fight?"

"Your choice is made, Arisen! As you have willed it, so shall it be!"

Battle

"Show me your power, Arisen. Awaken now in full! Still my heart and lay open the path beyond."

"This is not fate, nor duty's call. This battle is your own, waged of your own free will."

"If you lack the strength to stay my fire... to stay the fated ruin... then all shall scatter as ash."

"Now, come, Arisen!"

"Heed well this place, Arisen. Know the frailty of the works of man. This hold once stood proud and firm... twas the foolish decision of a man too weak that brought it down."

"Fight! Cling to life!"

"Pitiable wingless human... return to the earth!"

"Your life... your very heart rests here within me!"

"Aye, reclaim that which you have lost... take back your life... the surge of blood that tethers you to this world... it awaits you, Arisen, yearning here within me..."

"The hour for turning back is past. The world will have its answer: you or me? Death, or life beyond!"

"If you would gain aught, give your all here and now! Such is the contest you have chosen!"

"Have you come so far to be stricken with cowardice, Arisen? You have chosen your path!"

"Aye, raise your weapon... your teeth of steel, your blood-red voice... show me your power Arisen! Prove yourself worthy of what lies beyond my corpse! Show that you possess the strength to still my heart. The will to do it. The soul!"

"There is naught beyond this moment for those who will not give themselves whole to their cause."

"Hollow vessel in the form of man, heed the will of your new master..." (When trying to possess a Pawn)

"Yes, this fire! This pain!"

"Slay me, and with me death itself. Stay the fires of destruction!"

"This battle you have begun, sits at the very heart of all creation. We are the axis about which the world turns, Arisen! Time itself flows with your footsteps!"

"Show that you possess the power fit to best me, or your world is forfeit unto ruin."

"Tis the will of the master that shapes the soulless pawn, you've trained them well, Arisen."

"Come, Arisen. If you are truly awakened unto the world, you shall weather the fires of perdition unscathed!" (When charging Flame Eruption for the first time.)

"Surpass me, if you would truly be the one to take up the endless chain."

"Yes... I remember now. This sensation, this pain... I know it well. The hurt you visit upon me is the selfsame pain I once inflicted. This battle is mine, just as it is yours. It is aught I began long ago."

"The one you refused to offer up shall die as sure as the rest!"

"A false hope, fallen short..." (Player dies)

"Then I must seek another ready to awaken... ready to walk the path to its end." (Player dies)

Death

"Ugh... stubborn child... whate'er meaning life holds... it makes men deaf to all reason. Heed me well, Arisen. In my death, you've won a future for this world... but what that future spells for you... for all men... is a truth you'll find staring back from this world's utmost depths..."

"Arisen! You have earned back... what is yours... your life belongs now to no other. You've won it by rights... it is yours to use or cast away as you see fit. Remember that..."